Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Jon Alterman, chair of Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the impact of targeted killings often fades over time. Israel killed its founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in a 2004 airstrike. But killing leaders can also backfire, radicalizing followers, elevating more extreme successors or turning slain leaders into martyrs with enduring influence. Northeastern University political scientist Max Abrahms said data from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel and the Palestinian territories shows violence against civilians spikes after targeted killings.

Source: Libya Today March 20, 2026 22:07 UTC